First, it is the DUTY of any police department to take “prompt action” ASAP after violent assaults upon anyone. Given DC’s tough hate crimes law, as well as Police Chief Lanier’s public pronouncements to give anti-LGBT violent hate crimes a high priority, Lanier– and the MPD she very closely manages, has failed to do so with respect to these three violent crimes this week.

Everyone should understand, this is not a failure of GLLU, nor of the management of its parent unit, MPD’s Special Liaison Division (SLD). Captain Delgado and Sergeant Mejia are highly capable MPD pros with broad experience. The dedicated MPD officers of GLLU’s core and affiliate teams are top-notch, as well. We owe each and every one of them our gratitude for their service to MPD and the city, every day of the week.

However, both SLD and GLLU are closely monitored and tightly controlled by Chief Cathy Lanier and her Asst. Chief for Patrol Services (and School Security), Diane Groomes. For those who also object to the chiefs’ policies and/or practices, but may occasionally be tempted to make personal attacks on either of them, or their professional integrity– let me assert that Chiefs Lanier and Groomes are two very good people. They are without question, extraordinarily talented managers– and extraordinarily dedicated, good cops. Despite my public criticism of their policies/ practices, I think they have nearly always been responsive to my private communications, usually prodding MPD about one issue or another.

However, I continue to strongly disagree with Chief Lanier’s policies and practices which are adversely impacting effective law enforcement against violent, anti-LGBT hate crimes perpetrators (and would-be perps who are also watching MPD’s response) in the District of Columbia.

Moreover, the anti-LGBT tone and comments made by Chief Lanier a few weeks ago, made before CM Mendelson’s Judiciary Committee hearing (of 29 Feb) are extremely troubling. They bespeak a chief of police who is seemingly frustrated at having to deal with the pesky concerns of DC’s LGBT activists concerned for the safety and very lives of our LGBT brothers and sisters.

DC Council Judiciary Committee testimony (29 Feb 12)…
http://dc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=12&clip_id=1099

In addition DC Trans Coalition’s Jason Terry reported at the same Judiciary Committee hearing that SLD/GLLU could not provide him with MPD stats and basic information of transgender-related violent crimes. That is outrageous and unacceptable. The public at large, and especially interested LGBT activists are entitled to such basic information from MPD– both to inform and warn LGBT residents for their own public safety, as well as to monitor MPD’s case closure issues.

*LIAISON* with the LGBT community is an integral part of SLD/GLLU’s mission. If SLD/GLLU will not provide that basic information to DCTC and the public, it is likely that Chief Lanier is refusing to let them do so. Mayor Gray and members of the Council should take note of this apparently OFFICIAL MPD obstructionism and secrecy.

What else is MPD’s top brass trying to hide? From whom? And why?

Mayor Gray– as is appropriate and fitting for the city’s top popularly elected executive, has issued a public statement regarding the week’s anti-LGBT violence. Police Chief Lanier has not.

What kind of message does that send to the city’s violent hate crimes perpetrators? When police departments remain officially silent about anti-LGBT hate crimes, they risk being, de facto, tacit accomplices in encouraging more anti-LGBT violence.

Another item… the violent assault on a transgender woman on March 12th, which occurred here in Ward 5 and MPD’s 5th District (WV Avenue, NE, Gallaudet U. area) was not even reported as part of the MPD-5D listserv Daily Report… not on the 13th, nor on the 14th. Is anyone at MPD-5D, besides GLLU officers, paying attention to assaults on trans women? One has to ask, was that intentional on MPD’s part? And if so, why?

We have had no public statement on our local listservs from MPD-5D Commander Andy Solberg or SLD/GLLU as to what is being done about this assault. The trans woman was apparently stalked and knocked unconscious from behind. In which direction was she walking from? Is MPD-5D canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses and potential video/cam evidence? Is Commander Solberg stepping up patrols? Should Gallaudet U./Trinidad area LGBT residents and visitors be concerned for their own public safety?

Today’s MPD presser by Asst. Chief Peter Newsham is insufficient and unacceptable. The truth is, if MPD does not adequately investigate the NE assault on a trans woman as a hate crime, such evidence will not be found. So MPD’s ongoing “line” on this trans woman’s assault is pretty tidy, huh?

The obvious truism that should be self-evident to everyone, is that, unlike most LGBs, many transgender women are recognizable, by sight, as transgender, and that– especially absent any other motive– there can be a reasonable presumption in this case that the assault was motivated by the woman’s status as a transgender.

With this high level obfuscation, it is no wonder that many in DC’s transgender and LGB communities believe MPD is trying to COVER UP the now-commonplace hate crimes violence against DC’s transgender women.

NO INFO ON MPD’s LISTSERVS…
Despite Newsham’s press conference, as of this comment, we have had no MPD public statement on MPD’s SLU listserv, nor MPD’s District listservs and other MPD e-media– whether directly from Chief Lanier or SLD’s/ GLLU’s commands regarding this extraordinary rash of anti-LGBT violence.

But the fact of the matter is, the buck (ie, the responsibility) stops solely with our Chief of Police.

If Chief Lanier truly joins Mayor Gray in asserting that anti-LGBT hate crimes will not be tolerated in DC, then SHE should also be unequivocally conveying that message from all of her MPD listservs, e-media and via messages from her 7 district commanders– especially at times when hate crimes are committed so boldly. Anything less, just further reduces MPD’s credibility and effectiveness.

And, BTW, Chief Lanier, herself, should be present at any public press conferences related to anti-LGBT violence. That sends a message as to how important Chief Lanier views this rash of anti-LGBT crimes, too.